Care package for start of internship?

[Twiki]

I'm hoping for some input from you folks. I have a friend that is starting her internal med internship this week, and she seems incredibly nervous. (I'm doing pathology, so I think it's fair to say that I will have it much easier!) Anyway, I thought to help cheer her up a bit, I would send her a care package. I'm just having a hard time figuring out what to put in it. I wanted to make it be stuff that would really make her smile during this stressful first few weeks. I wanted to limit the number of food items in it, as those are a little cliche.

Any novel suggestions?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Lorae]

SPA products!! Dr Scholls has a whole pedicure product line. Aromatherapy bubble bath. Rejuvination face mask... etc. Stuff like that is totally refreshing, affordable/available at drug stores, and totally cheap in comparison to a day at a real spa.

Red wine

Chocolate

And something funny/comical... (you know your friend, what makes her laugh??)

 

[GMO2003]

I'm hoping for some input from you folks. I have a friend that is starting her internal med internship this week, and she seems incredibly nervous. (I'm doing pathology, so I think it's fair to say that I will have it much easier!) Anyway, I thought to help cheer her up a bit, I would send her a care package. I'm just having a hard time figuring out what to put in it. I wanted to make it be stuff that would really make her smile during this stressful first few weeks. I wanted to limit the number of food items in it, as those are a little cliche.

Any novel suggestions?

I'd get her an everlast free standing punching bag...it will give her something to take her aggression out on the first night she's on call by herself

 

[surg]

Some ideas that would be light enough to ship
TED hose/Jobst stockings. Standing up all day basically sucks.
A gift certificate for a massage at a local massage therapy center. see above
A picture of a brick wall with the caption: "Be a wall" (to wall off your service from the ER)
Condoms labeled as stethoscope covers
Placebo packs (see if you can get one from a psych drug rep. They actually have packages labelled placebo in big letters because many places don't allow them to leave samples)

 

[Annette]

A little rack thingy for bills - I come home, throw the mail in a pile and forget about it!

A house cleaning gift certificate.

A pillow specifically for the call room.

A bunch of pictures of friends, cause heaven knows she won't have much chance to see them in person.

 

[edinOH]

1 bottle Jack Daniels
1 bottle ambien
1 package No-dose
1 carton cigaretts
1 Washington Manual
1 month script Lipitor with 12 refills
1 treadmill/excercise bike

 

[Global Disrobal]

Condoms
Nuva Ring
Depo
Ortho-Tri
IUD... Just keep her from getting impregnated. Last thing she wants is to have a baby with a grip load of interns pissed at having to pick up extra calls!

 

[fourthyear]

Things she could use on call - travel toothbrush, small hairbrush, pony-tail elastics, mouthwash or gum, eye drops, small bag to carry it all in.
When she uses these things on her first stressful call nights, she'll think of her friend, smile, and relax.

 

[Winged Scapula]

All of the above are great suggestions and I'm sure would be appreciated by your friend.

I like to have gum available at all times, but its especially important when the middle of call halitosis hits.

If your friend has family that's long distance, a calling card for some small pre-paid amount would be appreciated since most hospitals won't let you call long distance or use your cell phone in house, so she can call family/friends while in the hospital and needs to hear a friendly voice.

A bottle of aspirin/Tylenol is handy.

Extra pair of socks - feels wonderfully refreshing post-call.

 

[DocWagner]

Gum, caffeine mints, chocolate covered coffee beans, hand lotion to put in pockets, a nice travel kit for call, travel tylenol/ibuprofen, tums or pepcid, blockbuster movie card